The Gift Above All Others
by thatawkwardsoftball
Summary: Christine has a little gift for her angel of music, but his reaction isn't what she'd expected. Short story, one shot of Christine and Erik based off of Kay's novel. A lot of E/C fluff!


Erik had never received a gift in his life. Though he had asked his  
mother long ago as a child for two kisses, one for now and one to  
save. Sadly, those gifts were never given, so as a child he learned to  
never expect or ask for gifts; it was much easier that way.

He was an aged man now and didn't celebrate Christmas or his birthday.  
He wasn't quite sure when his birthday even was, honestly, but now  
that Christine had been coming down for lessons, she'd made sure to  
tell him of holidays; it was how he'd been keeping track of time.  
Although he concluded her merry way of celebrating holidays was a lot  
more amusing than Nadir's nagging and annoying reminders.

Erik had been composing all-night and early into the morning, when he  
heard the familiar footsteps of his beloved angel. He smiled to  
himself and got up from his seat at the organ, checking the clock on  
his way out of the house. It was rather early for her to be stopping  
by; he knew she was never much of a morning person anyway. As he went  
out to the gondola, he saw her blonde curls from across the lake.

"Mon petite ange, what an unexpected surprise. Our lessons did not  
resume today, I don't believe?" Erik asked nervously when he reached  
her across the lake.

"No, but I just wanted to see you," Christine said in an especially  
excited way. She held a little box in her hands and smiled at him in a  
lovely manner. He blushed behind his mask and couldn't help, but have  
his heart warmed by her unexpected arrival. She merely wanted to see  
him… Christine, who hated mornings with a great passion, had made her  
way down alone just to because she had wanted to see him. He noticed  
her beautiful blue day gown with her curls pinned up and framed around  
her lovely face and how she had pinched her cheeks to bring color to  
them, which made her look even more endearing. She'd obviously been up  
for a few hours preparing for the trip, which greatly confused him,  
but he didn't question it.

"Please… Come then. I'll make us some tea," he said quietly as he  
helped her into the boat.

"Thank you, Erik," she said sweetly and took a seat. On their way back  
to his home, he grew more curious as to what she held in her hands,  
but he didn't take time to ask; he was just happy to see her.

When they got into his home, he was a bit flustered. He hadn't been  
prepared for her company today. He was dressed casually in a loose  
white shirt and black trousers, not his usual formal eveningwear. He  
was also concerned if he even had tea in stock in his pantry; he  
hadn't thought to go shopping in a while, but he didn't know Christine  
hadn't come for just tea and a visit. "Excuse me for a moment, I just  
need to clean things up a bit in the kitchen," he said formally, it  
was an excuse though to make sure he wouldn't embarrass himself  
preparing tea that wasn't there.

When Erik got to the kitchen, he heard her graceful footsteps wander  
down the hall. 'She's not going to the kitchen,' he decided with a  
frown. 'What was so important that the child had to come down here at  
this hour? She never visits unless she has to…' His thoughts kept his  
mind busy as he searched for his little box of tea.

He finally found something that would suffice for them both and when  
he turned around she was there in the doorway waiting. She'd been  
there for awhile and Erik had no idea, he was growing more curious and  
wary now because he noticed her hide something behind her back.  
"Christine, what have you got behind you?" he cautiously inquired. He  
did trust her, but throughout all his years in Persia and in the gypsy  
camp it had made him very wary of everything even if that something  
was a little blonde angel before him.

"Nothing!" her voice was in singsong and it made him shiver.

'Little minx,' he thought with a smirk and tried to step behind her to  
see what she was hiding, but she sidestepped him with a quickness that  
he didn't know she possessed. "Oh Christine, let me see what you have,  
you silly child!" Erik laughed. He really was in no mood to be toyed  
at this early in the morning, yet he couldn't help but be pleasant at  
her expression and attitude, which was a mix between a little playful  
and smug. She tried so hard to seem innocent of any crime.

"I don't have anything, angel!" she giggled, stepping back from him.

"Christine, this is so unlike you; to be playing such games like  
this," he laughed again at her dramatically exasperated look and she  
huffed.

"But Erik, today is special!" She giggled. He shivered again at the  
sound of his name being used in such a gentle and playful tone that he  
doubted he could ever get used to.

"Then pray tell, child, what is the occasion, hmm?" he asked silkily.  
He saw her eyes roll at his condescending tone.

""Oh, no occasion!" she giggled. "I just saw this and thought of you."  
She suddenly thrusted the box she'd carried earlier at him excitedly.  
He wasn't entirely sure how to respond. The woman he loved coming to  
his home unannounced was gift enough, but now this?

"You… You got me a present?" he said with a deep frown and took the  
delicately wrapped package from her precious hands. It was wrapped  
with black paper and had a red bow tied around it. He approved of her  
color choices since they were his favorites; he appreciated that quite  
a bit.

"Oh Erik, just open it!" Christine cried out with glee and shook her  
head when he still just stood there holding it. Erik did as he was  
told, but his hands were shaking a little when he untied the bow and  
pulled the wrappings away gently without tearing them. His little  
Christine was watching his every move with excitement and  
anticipation, grinning ear to ear. When he opened the gift box and  
reached inside, his heart felt like it would stop. This almost brought  
Christine into madness for how painfully slow he was going. She had so  
desperately wanted to see the look of happiness on her angel's face  
when he saw his present, but she was met with cruel disappointment.

In his hand now was a crystal piano, it glittered like diamonds in the  
candlelight and he studied it. Every detail was excellently crafted,  
the keys were gold and silver and he could even see little strings  
with in the crystal instrument. It fit the palm of his hand perfectly,  
but as he was examining it, he'd left Christine waiting for a reaction  
for a long while because his face was still blank. Christine bit her  
lip and waited for him to say something, anything, but no words were  
uttered from him. She sighed and looked down, beginning to grow  
insecure and question her gift choice.

"I-I… If you do not like it, I can return it," she said in  
embarrassment. Erik on the other hand was in complete shock at this  
little object in his hands. It must have cost her more than four  
months of her pay and it caused the most incredible feeling to swell  
inside him. Christine had given him this. Christine had taken time out  
of her day and money out of her hard earned pay to get him something  
this intricately beautiful. Although it was just a simple trinket, it  
was the most precious thing to him now besides the lovely woman before  
him.

"Nonsense. Thank you, mon ange," the words came out a little flat and  
Christine gave a little, nonchalant shrug. It wasn't much of a thank  
you, but he didn't know how else to show her gratitude and it  
definitely didn't bring her much reassurance that he liked the gift.

"It was nothing," she said and offered him a small smile to hide her  
disappointment that he didn't show more love towards his gift.

He placed the box down on the table. "Now, tea?" Erik asked as he got  
the water ready to boil as he searched for a tea bag. Christine just  
nodded in response; she was rather disappointed at how this meeting  
was going so far.

They shared a cup of tea and a meager conversation about events in the  
opera house. Christine wasn't as enthusiastic as before and gave  
halfhearted answers. When evening fell and it was time for Christine  
to return home, Erik escorted her to the mirror and bid her goodnight.

"I shall meet you here tomorrow for our lesson, my dear," he said  
softly before disappearing back into the shadows. She just sighed in  
disappointment because that gift was given to please him, to make him  
happy, but she thought she failed… But little did she know how happy  
her Erik was as he gaily sang to himself as he returned home in a daze  
of delight and love.

Lessons resumed as usual and Christine tried to forget the ridiculous  
gift fiasco, yet she did notice something different about Erik's  
demeanor around her after the incident. Yes, he was already in love  
with her and treated her kindly, but something was different. He  
treated her with more appreciation and trust.

In the weeks to come, his attitude improved even more and made  
Christine happier to be down there with him. She stayed over at night  
more often and came to visit him even when they didn't have lessons  
scheduled. He never yelled anymore and wasn't so reclusive.

Christine had completely forgotten about the little crystal piano  
she'd given him, figuring that he'd placed it somewhere and forgotten  
it too. However, one night, she walked by Erik's room and saw his door  
was cracked open. He was undressing for bed and normally Christine  
would've blushed and looked away, but something glittering in the  
light caught her eye and made her pause. Reaching into the breast  
pocket of his suit jacket, he took out the little trinket Christine  
gave him weeks ago. He had been keeping it on his person everyday  
since he'd gotten it, carrying it around like a good luck charm. He  
cherished this gift and ran his fingers over it in a sentimental  
manner before placing it on his bedside table.

Christine forgot her presence wasn't known because when she spoke, she  
actually made the phantom jump. "You still have it?" she blurted out  
and opened the door more, entering without permission.

Startled, Erik picked the trinket up again as if she would take it  
away. "O-of course, I kept it," he murmured with a nod. He held it  
possessively and Christine approached him slowly.

"I thought you hated it! I truly believed you only accepted it for my  
sake," she stated a little sadly, tilting her head to the side.

"Oh, mon ange, of course not… This is the only gift I've ever been  
given…" he trailed off and stared at it. "It's perfect."

Christine was shocked at his confession. She'd experienced Christmas  
and birthday presents her whole life, despite her lack of family and  
poverty. "Oh my poor Erik," she murmured and touched his arm sadly.

He didn't want her pity, but he didn't pull away from her touch  
either. They stood like that for a moment and, still clutching the  
crystal trinket, he thought up an idea. "Christine, my angel… M-may I  
have something else?" he asked her like a small child would've.

"Of course, Erik, anything," she replied with a smile.

"May… May I have a kiss? O-one for now and one to save?" he asked  
hesitantly. Christine almost cried for it was such a small favor to  
request. She just nodded and smiled reassuringly at him, but never  
spoke for if she did, she surely would've wept then and there.

His hands shook as he cupped her face in his large musician's hands  
and kissed her forehead gently. She couldn't hold her tears back any  
longer and hugged him tightly, her tears soaking his shirt. He held  
her close and wept as well. That kiss as the greatest gift above all  
others and he still had one kiss to save… Erik thought with a smile.

The End.


End file.
